Grain-separating machine



(No Model.) i

J. LUCAS.

GRAIN SEPARATINGMAOHINE.

No. 343,999. Patented June 22, 1 886.

N. PETERS, Phulo'Lflhng -aphlr. Washingwn, n. a

U ITED STATES PATENT Urrrce.

' JOHN LUCAS, OF HASTINGS, MINNESOTA.

GRAIN-SEPARATING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 343,999, dated June 22, 18 86.

Application filed August 31, 1885. Serial No. 175,842. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN LUCAS, a citizen of the United States, and a. resident of Hastings, in the county of Dakota and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Grain-Separating Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for separating grains and seeds; and it consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter shown and described.

in the drawings,Figure 1 is an end elevation, and Fig. 2 a side elevation, of the machine complete. Fig. 3 is a plan view in section on the line 00 a; of Fig. 2. Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional details showing the arrangement of the inclined carrying-belt, &c.

A represents the main frame,adapted to be raised andlowered by adjustable feet a, so that the inclination of the frame may be altered to any desired extent. Across the upper part of the frame A, on the rear side, is journaled in bearings b a roller, 0, and below this rolleris journaled in bearings c a shaft, D,while across the front of the frame A is journaled' in adjustable bearings d d a roller, E, similar to the roller G. Around these two rollers O and E, and also around the shaft D, an endless belt, F, is placed, as shown. The shaftD is shown provided with three enlargements or drums,c, around which the belt F runs, so that the belt is held away from the shaft and runs on the drums 0 only, leaving the space between the belt and shaft unobstructed. As before stated, the bearings d d of the roller E are adjustable, so that the tension of the belt F may be regulated as required. The shaft of the roller (3 is provided with a crank, G, by which roller 0, and with it the belt F, may be revolved.

K K represent two spouts attached to the frame A, with their inner edges beneath the edge of the belt F, into which the material is discharged from the machine, the two spouts being adapted to catch the different grades or qualities of material and discharge them into separate vessels. In the drawings these spouts are shown some distance apart and the intervening space filled by a shield, K which prevents the grain from running off over the edge of the belt, but will guide it all into the spouts K K H is a feed-hopper on the front end of the machine, having a spout, 9, leading from its bottom, so as to discharge the contents of the hopper upon the lowermost section of the endless belt F, as shown. This spout y will be provided with a slide, 6, by which the flow of the grain may be regulated or entirely shut off, as required.

The frame A" is adapted to be so adjusted as to cause the belt F to run in an inclined position from the spout 9 toward the roller E, and also toward the front of the machine, as shown. The rollers and the shaft D run parallel with each other and at an incline, as

shown in Fig. 2, and the roller Eis lower than the shaft D; hence the belt F is inclined away from the spout gin all directions, and this inclination may be varied to any desired extent by the adj ustable legs a. The grain being fed in through the spout 9, runs down the inclined belt, and the latter, traveling in the direction indicated by the arrows or in an upward directi on, retards the grain and causes the heavier or rougher berries or kernels to be conveyed along beneath and alongside the shaft D, and gradually worked out over the belt F into the discharge-spout K, while the smaller and smoother berries or kernels, not being so easily influenced by the friction of the belt F, gradually work down theinclined belt into the discharge-spout K This invention will be found especially advantageous in separating wild peas and similar deleterious seedsfrom wheat, as the re tundity of the pea-kernel will cause it to easily and quickly separate itself from the elongated kernels of the wheat.

I have shown in the drawings representations of the long or oval-shaped wheat-kernels, and the spherical and smaller wild-pea ker nels,illustrating the manner in which the separation takes place. It is evident, however, that the machine is equally applicable to the separation of nearly all the different kinds of grain-such as oats, rye, barley, and similar seeds, &c.-from wheat by adjusting the inclination of the belt F to suit the different kinds of grain.

One very important advantage gained by passing the grain through the interior of the belt F is, that it is subjected to a much greater degree of agitation than would occur were it it sagging down and tostill further support; .the belt La'rrangea number of carrying barspi' merely passed over the exterior of the belt, as the manner of running the belt around'the shaft D causes the grain to be carried upward behind the shaft and then fall down again upon the belt over and over again in its passage over the belt, thus causing a more thorough separation than could otherwise be obtainedglc By this constant agitation the different kernels of grain are thoroughly separated, and the. smaller berries allowed-to flow down the i-n clined belt and be discharged from the spout K, as shown. A large percentage of the grain in running through the machine passes-be neath the shaft D, and some of .the kernels cling to the belt F, and to remove these adheringkernels I arrange across the frame A, inside thebelt F, .a'stationary scraper, L, adapted to remove theajdhering grain and} cause it tofall "back again upon the belt. The arrangement of this scraper L is clearly; shown i-n'Fi-g. '5, while'in'Fig. 4"Ihaveshownf a circular brush,.'M, adapted to be revolved by gears or other means against the iclothto, accomplish the same result and ;perform the .samefu-nction as theseraper L. The belt -F is shown provided on the outside with slats, m, whichserve to hold it extendedand prevent N, beneath the 'lower'sections of the belt'andj "its slats m, on which the-slats run from the; rollerEto the shaft D. -Under some circumstances the roller 0 might be-dispensed with"; and-the belt run around'the shaft'Dan'd rollerf 'E; but'the presence of the roller 'Ggives more,

space in which to handle-the grain than could be obtained by merely using two rol'lers. Masses .of grain are frequently encountered? containing-several "different varieties, requir-;f ing different inclinations of the belt to sepa-I} rateth'em, i'n-whic'h event I shall use 'thear-ji rangementshown inthe'dotted 'lines inFigfi5qf Whenamixtureof wild peas, wheat, and oats,i 'rye, or barley is .metwith, the slight incline} shown'by the'full lines in Fig.5 willbe sufi ficient to separate theapea's from the wheat? and other grains, but an increased incline, "as? shownby thedotted lines, will be'required to:

separate the barley'or rye from the wheat, and I by using two of the shaftsD thisi'secondsep-v aration can be accomplished in the one ma-: chine.

Having thus described my invention, what} I claimas new .is

1. In a grain'an'd seed separatingn1a'chi-ne, f an "endless "belt and rollers or drums over, which said belt runs, -thelower section of said beltbeing inclined transversely andglongt tudinally, the motion of said section of the beltbeingfromthe lower to the upper part, in combination with a feed-spout which discharges the material to be separated upon the interior surface of the belt and upon the highest portion of said lower section, substantially .as set forth.

.andaidap'ted-to be. revolved with and around said rollers and -;said .shaft, feed-hopper H, having id'is'charge S:P0. l1l3 ,g, and dischargespouts K"K ,s1 ibstantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. Ina grain-separating ama'chine, an end- *less'itravling' belt and, rollers an'd s'ha'fts over which-said belt runs, in combination with a feed-hop perhaving a "feed-spout which conveys material onto said belt, discharge-spouts which receive the separatedmaterial from saidibelt, andiascrapingdevice located within said belt and incontact with'the inner-surface thereof, substantially asse'tfforth.

-5. .In agrain-separating machine, the combination of anendless beltyF, hav ing slats m at suitable intervals, suitable ro'llersand shafts :over which said belt runs, a 'feed-hopper,.H,

having ,lfeed-spout ,g, and carriers N, which supportsa'id end'less belt, substantially asset forth. Y a

6. Inia,graimseparating machine, the combina'tion of. an endless-traveling:belt, and a hopper Which-conveys material to the same at one e'dgeth ereof, saidfbeltbeingiinclined transverselyawayffrom -.saidjhop.per, and the section of-saidbeflt upon which the inateria'lis separated being inclined longitudinally, and

havingmore than one inclination, substantiallyftas ,set'forth, whereby more than two I kindsof material maybe'separatedat the same time.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set hand'inithepresence of two subscribing 1 witnesses.

*JOHNZL'UOAS.

W'itnesses:

WOODWARD, 'S. WEBsrER. 

